Results 261-280 of 432 for speaker:Niall Blaney

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2022)

Niall Blaney: The Senator is talking rubbish.

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2022)

Niall Blaney: I support Senator Carrigy on these other buildings outside the scheme. The focus may well move to them after today. It is imperative that the community buildings mentioned by the Senator get some form of resolution to the mica, pyrite or whatever other deleterious materials they are dealing with in their buildings. A formula needs to be found to deal with these buildings and other public...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2022)

Niall Blaney: On a point of order, I wish to acknowledge the presence of the adviser to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in the Public Gallery. I thank the adviser for the massive contribution that he has made to the Bill.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Niall Blaney: There must be because many suppliers from County Donegal would supply across the Border just as those from across the Border would supply in Donegal. There is natural trade across the Border. There has to be.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Niall Blaney: There is no scheme of which I am aware.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Niall Blaney: In relation to the quarries in County Donegal, there was more than one quarry involved in the county. On the point that was made on professional indemnity insurance, we do not want to see this becoming a bone of contention as the scheme rolls out. I have one quick question on that. What are the organisations represented actively doing with the Government, specifically the Minister for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Niall Blaney: I thank both deputations for coming. This has been a very worthwhile exercise and I thank them for their involvement to date. Sometimes this issue has got very heated, but we recognise the witnesses bring a very important element to ensuring the scheme works. We also appreciate the fact the scheme has evolved so much. That flexibility has resolved many issues on the ground. There are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Niall Blaney: A damage threshold has been included to ensure the houses that are worst affected are looked about. A situation might arise in a county as dispersed as Donegal whereby an area such as Buncrana has an awful lot of these houses versus the area where I am from that has fewer such houses. More builders may be available for a time, given that they may all be taken up with work in Buncrana. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Niall Blaney: I have two points to follow on. I back the point made by Deputy Conway-Walsh about personal circumstances and finance requirements for the damage threshold. I believe it is only right that personal circumstances would come into that situation. There are many individuals who are in hard economic and personal situations. I would extend this further where certain individuals find themselves...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Niall Blaney: I get that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Niall Blaney: I just feel that is wrong because that is part of the make-up and it cannot be left to fall down on top of a kid. An accident could happen. There are many accidents that could happen in this regard. It is not about blowing this out of the water. I am just being realistic about it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Niall Blaney: We have had many deliberations in recent years. There is a realisation that not only in Donegal, Mayo or Clare because of mica but nationally because of the demand for building houses there is a lack of builders. I have spoken to the head of the local employment office in Donegal who is very receptive to the idea I am going to put to the Department. I suggest there should be specific...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Social Outcome Contracts in Irish Sport: Discussion (29 Jun 2022)

Niall Blaney: Thank you for accommodating me today, Chairman. I am particularly pleased to be here for this presentation. I welcome the deputation. I also welcome a former director in the FAI, Mr. John Byrne. It is fair to say that when Mr. Byrne was an employee of the FAI he had the ear of every party in the House. There was a great relationship with the FAI when he was there and I acknowledge his...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Social Outcome Contracts in Irish Sport: Discussion (29 Jun 2022)

Niall Blaney: It is important that all Senators and Deputies are kept abreast of this because it is a smart programme and sells itself. It is important everybody is kept abreast of the metrics as the programme moves forward. The quicker this can be rolled out, the better.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Social Outcome Contracts in Irish Sport: Discussion (29 Jun 2022)

Niall Blaney: You could have a worse one.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Jonathan Powell (30 Jun 2022)

Niall Blaney: Mr. Powell is very welcome to the committee and we are delighted he could join us to discuss the important piece of work we are doing at the committee in trying to establish as many facts as possible regarding the coming together of the Good Friday Agreement. Before I even go there, we could spend a day talking to him about what is going on with the Northern Ireland protocol. He outlined...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Jonathan Powell (30 Jun 2022)

Niall Blaney: I have a couple of questions, taking us back to that era around when the Good Friday agreement was formed. I listened closely to what Mr. Powell said about then Prime Minister Blair and the then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and he referenced the gambles they were taking. He is the fourth individual in the third meeting we have had discussing the architects of the Good Friday Agreement. There...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: British Government Legacy Proposals: Discussion (7 Jul 2022)

Niall Blaney: I welcome the witnesses. I will not go over ground that has been covered. The witnesses have given us a very precise and honest reflection of where we are at with matters of legacy in Northern Ireland. Looking at what is developing across the water today, a new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has been appointed. Can the witnesses give us any insight into him? Is it more of the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Sep 2022)

Niall Blaney: As party spokesperson on Northern Ireland, I express my condolences to Ambassador Johnston, his staff, everybody in the UK and not just the Protestant Unionist community but everybody across all counties on the island for whom she was their queen. I would go further and second the proposal by Senator Craughwell. I believe we should write to the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste and ask that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Mark Durkan (29 Sep 2022)

Niall Blaney: I welcome Mr. Durkan. It is great to see him again. There is no element of his opening remarks one could disagree with. We could do another report on the intricacies of matters between ourselves and the British Government and what has not happened in relation to the agreement. As a committee we have a job to do on the implementation of the agreement. The idea of bringing in people like...